Ties That Bind
by BetaReject
Summary: Love was not a factor either could afford. Yet one thing was certain no one would ever take Ada's place and no one could ever replace Wesker.


This one is for **arcanelegacy** who got me hooked on the pairing of Ada/Wesker. This one is for you girl!

Also the OFC, Deadly Pretty does not belong to me but was created by** Candeta!** Curious about the character and her relationship to Krauser? Be sure to check out her website titled Deadlypretty, the banner gives you a good idea who is and her relationship to Krauser. A huge thank you goes to her for letting me use her OFC in my fic =)

* * *

**I**

The first time Ada met Albert, she was tired, behind schedule and not at all in a good mood. Even worse, she had yet to recover from her last mission. It was a success, but lack of food, sleep and more importantly, tea had taken its toll.

The man who called himself Albert Wesker was hardly worth her attention. He was arrogant, aloof and far too detached even for Ada's liking. Therefore, she brushed him off without a second thought. A cup of tea or three later and she noticed the one thing that did make him stand out.

Who in their right mind wore shades indoors?  
**  
II**

The second time they met Ada was assigned to work with him. A _collaborative_ project as he put it in that monotone voice she would come to know so well. She did not fancy the idea of being an errand girl, certainly not to Albert Wesker. Her superiors demanded otherwise and so she complied.

Some times Ada wished she had taken the risk of saying _no. _

Working with Albert was not at all, as she had imagined. He was distant, yet passionate about his work. Mystery shrouded his being just as it shrouded hers, or so Ada had often been told.

Long hours of research into their latest mission were arduous but worthwhile. It had also formed camaraderie between them.

Trust was still an issue but Ada did not mind. She knew it would always be that way. She appreciated the fact that someone who understood its rarity and importance.

Neither could afford the trappings of friendship, certainly not with each other. It was just another unspoken lie, one that neither would ever openly confess.

**III**

The hour had been late when Ada addressed the issue of Albert's shades. Dinner had been forfeit earlier for the sake of duty. Now they both _enjoyed_ what westerners called Korean _cuisine_ or take-out. In Ada's opinion, it could not have been more further from the truth. Nothing could ever come close to her grandmother's cooking.

"Do you ever take those off?" The question was spoken as a challenge.

Wesker sniffed in reply and went back to enjoying his _gourmet_ take-out. Neither surprised or amused, Ada raised a brow and put down her utensils.

"You don't really expect me to believe that you're eyes are that sensitive to the light," she said in flat tones.

With a heavy sigh he briefly paused, his expression stoic (as always) before removing the dark shades.

His eyes were nothing like Ada had ever seen before. His pupils were reptilian, perhaps even feline. The irises were orange and amber tinged with red. His eyes were beautiful, but entirely unnatural.

"Satisfied?"

Ada did not know what startled her more. The fact she was not surprised by the sight, or the flicker of relief she saw in Wesker's eyes at her lack of reaction to them.

**IV**

The first time Ada met Leon she knew everything was about to change.

Leon was not like anyone she had ever known in her life. _Chivalry_ was more than just a word to him; it was an ideal he strove to embody. Heroics were neither something Ada favoured or had time for, yet Leon's selfless manner was difficult to ignore.

The more she tried to keep him at a distance the more determined he had been to intervene. Ada was not one for playing the damsel in distress, not unless her mission demanded it. She was more than capable of holding her own and had no qualms about making it clear to those in doubt. Yet Leon had in his own way become her reluctant _knight. _

It was the first time Ada ever found herself contemplating a life beyond her work. It was also the first time Wesker elicited an emotion. Even Ada could not have imagined that it would have been jealousy.

**V**

Wesker's kiss caught her entirely off guard. The passion that emanated from it was unexpected as was the inexperience and naivety. Ada did not know what to make of it and so she did not allow herself to think.

It was not sweet or innocent like Leon's, nor desperate like john, it was powerful, all consuming and filled with questions neither could answer. Love was definitely not in the equation. How could it? They both had only one love and it was not for the other, or so she believed.

His hands were warm, solid and entirely awkward. In another time another place, she might have laughed at the irony of it all. She was not laughing now.

It was hardly romantic, it was not entirely comfortable either. Neither was accustomed to displays of vulnerability. Certainly not the sort that was sincere, nevertheless it was honest, and it was real.

It was the first time Ada had let down her guard in years; it would also be the last.

Their relationship was never the same after that. Trust was a burden that Ada never imagined she ever have to bear. One look into Wesker's strange eyes and she knew he felt the same way.

That night changed everything between them. There would be no looking back now.

**VI**

Wesker was not a man known for his vulnerability, or his generosity, yet there was little doubt in Ada's mind to the true meaning behind his offer. The virus was more than just a business proposition or a chance to secure their plans, it was a gift and something so much more.

She was not a scientist by trade, but even Ada knew that the symbiotic relationship between the virus and its host would not last. In spite of the physical advancements, it had given Wesker she could already see the beginning signs of it turning on its host.

The only reluctance she felt at evading the offer was knowing that they would never come so close to facing the truth.

Love was a factor neither could afford.

**VII**

"You're working with Wesker."

Ada did not allow herself to consider the judgment in Leon's tone of voice. Or the fact he now saw her as just another _threat_ to be undone. Long gone was the naïve rookie cop, leaving in its wake a hardened and dangerous man.

At any other time Ada might have been offended by his tone, instead all she felt was relief. The innocence was still there it was just a little more jaded now.

With a knowing smile, and a few coy words Ada dodged the demand for answers. This time there was no regrets.

She did not owe Leon an explanation and even if she had, Ada knew that Leon would not understand. Men like him never did.

So she let her training take control and made her exit. There would be time enough later to consider her actions and the bridge she had just burned.  
**  
VIII**

Ada had no interest in Jack Krauser or his boorish ways. He was not a man capable of appreciating the finer things in life. He also lacked the brilliance she had come to take for granted from years of working along side Wesker.

However, it did make for some interesting dynamics. It was amazing what one could make another do with a mere smile, or a gentle, innocent touch.

Krauser may have been a fool, but Wesker was not. It was not long after that another agent, a young woman, was hired to perform similar duties and missions Ada once prided herself in completing.

The message was both obvious and subtle at the same time. There was no doubt in Ada's mind what Wesker was trying to say. A lesser woman might have been concerned but Ada knew Albert better than he knew himself. She was worth far too much to him to bother with replacements.

The agent earned the call sign of _Deadly Pretty_ by none other than Krauser himself, and proved to be perfect match for the brutish soldier. Together they were a force to be reckoned with leaving Ada and Wesker in a position to continue their plans without further interruptions.

In the end, everyone got what they desired.

**IX**

Wesker's obsession with the two S.T.A.R.S members Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield was than just revenge, it was personal. Whatever had happened at the old Spencer Mansion had changed Albert forever. It was not for the better.

Ada knew that the virus was turning on her compatriot but she never understood how bad it had become until Jill's capture. It was not the first time Wesker had spoken of destiny, the future or what lied ahead for them both.

It was however, the first time he referred to himself as a _god._ It would not be the last.

The gift he had once offered Ada was now being given freely to another. The weight of its meaning was not lost on Ada but she was not jealous, only disappointed.

She never had the pleasure of meeting Chris Redfield in person, but when Albert forcibly gave Jill the virus meant for her Ada's heart went out to him.

She could only hope that when the time came Chris would have the courage to do to Jill what Ada knew she would one day have to do to Albert.  
**  
X**

Excella was to Wesker, what Krauser was to Ada, nothing more than a means to an end. It did not stop Ada from hating the arrogant aristocrat for taking advantage of Albert's condition.

After months of watching her friend and colleague become lost to delusions of grandeur, Ada knew that the time for denial had finally run out. The virus was rapidly taking control and deteriorating what was left of Wesker's mind. It would be only a matter of time before her friend and confidante would become nothing more than a mindless bio-weapon.

It was difficult to remain at his side now with so much talk of _new orders, gods_ and _superior species._ Ada did not speak her thoughts on the matter, nor did she express her concern. She knew that Wesker needed her support more than he needed her judgment.

However, when Albert admitted to his plan of removing Excella, Ada could not help but smile. The virus may have robbed her of a friend and more, but it could not erase the one unspoken understanding they both shared.

No one could ever take her place, just as no one would ever take his.

**XI**

Where Ada had failed, Chris Redfield had not. The news of Wesker's demise reached Ada's attention while she had been taking a brief, albeit much needed, reprise from the daily demands of her duties.

How they had managed to locate her at the Parisian opera house Ada could not say, but she did not doubt her contacts capabilities.

Albert's death did not surprise her, nor did the sense of relief felt or the guilt that followed. Only the moisture that threatened to spill from her eyes had caught her off guard.

Ada had promised herself to do what was necessary when the time came, yet when it had, she could not bring herself to do it. Albert succumbed to the virus and died in disgrace by the very man he so desperately wanted to both destroy and embody.

It was her sole act of cowardess and Ada never forgave herself for it.  
**  
XII**

The graveyard was empty, as was the grave that Ada visited from time to time. Barely visible beneath the beauty of the wildflowers rested the grave marker that marked Albert Wesker's memory. While most took the time to clear away the flowers and brush from loved one's tombs Ada could not bring herself to do it for Wesker's. It just felt more appropriate to leave the wildflowers as they were.

"Rest in peace old friend," she murmured, as calloused fingers brushed against the cool ledge of the hidden tombstone.

Turning away Ada softly sighed to herself. The world was not ready for a man like Albert, in truth, he had not been ready for the world either.

Perhaps in death Albert Wesker could finally find his place amongst the stars.


End file.
